Okay, I may as well launch straight into it – here I am in my newly sewn bathers!  Just perfect for early morning Melbourne in late July….

I can assure you that these bathers must be very flattering, because they’re doing a terrific job of disguising my protruding stomach and the spare tyre around my middle. Of course, the fact that I am standing up very straight and sucking in my gut for all it’s worth could have something to do with it. 

The pattern is a freebie from BurdaStyle, the Alison vintage style bathing suit.  While the pattern is terrific, you may as well throw away the almost useless instructions and go straight to this excellent review and tutorial from Isabelle.

Like Isabelle, I added bands to the legs for more coverage – and to eliminate the need for painful hair removal processes. I’m nothing if not practical!  I lengthened the body/side/neck band to make ties at the back of the neck rather than a purchased closure. I left out the back tie that is illustrated in the pattern – I don’t think that it needs it, these bathers feel pretty secure as is. I’m not likely to be swimming laps in these. I also added bra cups (salvaged from a old pair of bathers) inbetween the lining and the outside.

I’m thrilled with how this has turned out! It is almost all constructed on the overlocker, although the gathering and bra cup inserting was done with the regular machine. There is a tiny amount of handstitching.

I made the size large, which is a European 40-42 for these. I usually wear an Australian size 12 (or 8 or 10 or 14, depending on the item!) and didn’t really alter the pattern dimensions or shaping at all. I am substantially short-waisted, so if you are longer through the waist – and many readers would be – I would advise lengthening this pattern through the body.  It used most of the 80cm fabric remnant I had purchased.

So in conclusion? I still don’t know what motivated me to make these, but I’m really glad that I did. I’m also a little amazed that I was prepared to post pictures of myself wearing them – but that will be a whole other blog post!

ETA: Yes, it was absolutely freezing when these photos were taken!  Around six degrees C.  They were taken very quickly.